Richard Humphries was a creative child, excelling in artistic and musical endeavours but keen to move on from the constraints of school. At the age of 14 he began a weaving and design apprenticeship at local silk weaving firm Warner & Sons, Braintree. This was to be the last full apprenticeship for the company and under the tutelage of Frank Davies RCA, Richard was trained in; silk throwstering, technical aspects of warping, weaving and handweaving, design, Jacquard card cutting and sales. One of the more unusual aspects of the training was elocution lessons to help with presenting to clients, soon Richard was exploring the design worlds of London and Paris.   

Warner & Sons dated back to 1839 in Spitalfields, later going on to acquire Daniel Walters silk weaving firm in 1894, which included its factory site of New Mills, Braintree. Warner & Sons remained there until its closure in 1971. An original Daniel Walters loom that Richard J. Humphries restored in 2024 can now be found on display and in working order in the Sudbury Silk Mills shop.